[6,93] Ὁ δὲ Μάρκιος ὁ πρῶτος καὶ πρὸ πολλῶν ὑποστὰς τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ λαμπρότατος ἁπάντων γενόμενος Ῥωμαίων ἔν τε τῇ τειχομαχίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἐντὸς τείχους ἀγῶσι, λαμπρότερος ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ ἀγῶνι τῷ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀντιάτας συστάντι ἐφάνη. οὐδὲ γὰρ ταύτης ἐδικαίωσεν ἀπολειφθῆναι τῆς μάχης, ἀλλ´ ἅμα τῷ κρατηθῆναι τὴν πόλιν ὀλίγους τοὺς ἀκολουθῆσαι δυνηθέντας ἐπαγόμενος ἐχώρει δρόμῳ, καὶ καταλαβὼν παρατεταγμένας ἤδη τὰς δυνάμεις καὶ μελλούσας εἰς χεῖρας ἰέναι, τήν τε ἅλωσιν τῆς πόλεως πρῶτος ἀναγγέλλει τοῖς σφετέροις, τεκμήριον αὐτῆς ἀποδεικνὺς τὸν καπνόν, ὃς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐμπρησθεισῶν οἰκιῶν πολὺς ἐφέρετο, καὶ δεηθεὶς τοῦ ὑπάτου κατὰ τὸ καρτερώτατον τῶν πολεμίων εἱλεῖτο. καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰ σημεῖα ἤρθη τῆς μάχης, πρῶτος ὁμόσε τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐχώρει καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθόντων ἀποκτείνας εἰς μέσην αὐτῶν τὴν φάλαγγα ὠθεῖται. οἱ δ´ Ἀντιάται συστάδην μὲν οὐκέτι μάχεσθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπέμενον, ἀλλ´ ἐξέλειπον τὰς τάξεις καθ´ οὓς γένοιτο ἐπιών, κύκλῳ δὲ περιίσταντο ἀθρόοι καὶ ἔβαλλον ὑποχωροῦντες ἐπιόντα τε καὶ ἑπόμενον. ὁ δὲ Πόστουμος ὡς ἔγνω τοῦτο, δείσας μή τι μονωθεὶς ὁ ἀνὴρ πάθῃ, τοὺς κρατίστους τῶν νέων ἀρωγοὺς αὐτῷ πέμπει· κἀκεῖνοι ποιήσαντες πυκνοὺς τοὺς λόχους ἐμβάλλουσι τοῖς πολεμίοις. οὐ δεξαμένων δ´ αὐτοὺς τῶν κατὰ μέτωπον, ἀλλ´ εἰς φυγὴν τραπέντων, προσωτέρω προχωροῦντες εὑρίσκουσι τὸν Μάρκιον τραυμάτων μεστὸν καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν ὁρῶσι νεκρούς τε κειμένους πολλοὺς καὶ ἡμιθανεῖς. μετὰ τοῦτ´ ἤδη κοινῶς ἐχώρουν ἡγεμόνα τὸν Μάρκιον ἔχοντες ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔτι διαμένοντας ἐν τάξει, κτείνοντες τοὺς ὑφισταμένους καὶ ὥσπερ ἀνδραπόδοις παραχρώμενοι. ἄξιοι μὲν δὴ λόγου καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι Ῥωμαῖοι ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ μάχῃ ἐγένοντο, κράτιστοι δ´ αὐτῶν οἱ προασπίσαντες τὸν Μάρκιον· ὑπὲρ ἅπαντας δ´ αὐτὸς ὁ Μάρκιος, ὃς καὶ τῆς νίκης ἀναμφιλόγως αἰτιώτατος ἦν. ἐπεὶ δὲ συνεσκόταζεν ἤδη, οἱ μὲν Ῥωμαῖοι ἀνεχώρουν ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον μέγα ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ φρονοῦντες καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν ἀνῃρηκότες τῶν Ἀντιατῶν, πολλοὺς δ´ αἰχμαλώτους ἄγοντες.

[6,93] But Marcius, who had been the first and (p133) only man to sustain the shock of the enemy and had distinguished himself above all the Romans both in the storming of the city and in the struggles which took place inside the walls, gained greater distinction in the second battle, which was fought against the Antiates. For he resolved not to be absent from this action either, but as soon as the city was captured, he took with him the small number of men who were able to follow him, and advancing at a run, found the two armies already drawn up and on the point of engaging. He was the first to inform the Romans of the capture of the city, and as a proof of it showed them the smoke which was rising in great volume from the houses that had been set on fire. And having obtained leave of the consul, he drew up his men in a compact body pi the strong est force of the enemy. As soon as the battle signals were raised, he was the first to come to grips with his opponents, and having killed many of those he encountered, he forced his way into the midst of their ranks. The Antiates no longer ventured to engaged him hand to hand, but leaving their ranks where he attacked, they surrounded him in a body, and retreating as he advanced and pursued them, they assailed him with their missiles. Postumus, being informed of this and fearing lest the man, thus isolated, might meet with some disaster, sent the bravest of the youth to his relief. These, doubling their files, charged the enemy; and when the first line failed to sustain their charge, but turned to flight, they pressed forward and found Marcius covered with wounds and saw (p135) many lying round him, some dead and others dying. Thereupon they advanced together under Marcius as leader against those of the enemy who still kept their ranks, killing all who made any resistance and treating them like slaves. Though all the Romans displayed notable valour in this action, and the bravest of them were those who defended Marcius, yet brave beyond all the rest was Marcius himself, who was without any doubt the chief cause of the victory. When at last it grew dark, the Romans retired to their camp greatly exulting in their victory, having killed many of the Antiates and carrying with them a great number of prisoners.